AOL Computer Checkup. Registry cleaner problems

Not sure if this is the right forum but here goes!

I have AOL Computer Checkup installed which does a fairly good job of most things but when trying to clean the Registry it indicates 184 errors on CURRENT USER but when I click on CLEAN the progress bar goes to 92% EVERY time and then my computer completely freezes and I have to restart with the button on my tower.

I have tried disabling anti virus (Kaspersky) but still no luck.

It cleans all the other registry errors but never Current User.

AOL are no help at all!

Any suggestions in PLAIN language how I can resolve the problem please?

184 errors or which it removes 168 or so ... then next time you run there are 184 again.

It sound like a tool I would not go near or you have something causing all the errors. Why are they returning?

Try letting it Run as Administrator.

In reply to a post by MHC:

184 errors or which it removes 168 or so ... then next time you run there are 184 again.

It sound like a tool I would not go near or you have something causing all the errors. Why are they returning?

It could be it is running two passes, one to catalogue them, then a request asking if the user wishes to continue, then the cleanup.

The OP hasn't said, but if the freeze is on the first pass then that would explain it.
_{Edit - typo.}

Edited by RobertoS (Sat 10-Nov-12 09:09:13)

Not too sure what you mean Run as administrator?

When the 'checkup' checks for errors against each section it itemises against each then I click on CLEAN and as I said it cleans all the others except Current User which has the most errors, probably because it never fixes them!

Does having those errors matter?
I could leave it out when it does its thing to avoid freezing.

What is the actual problem you are trying to solve?

Registry cleaners all too often find errors where none exist, or as others have suggested you are running with an account that does not have rights to change them.

Which version of Windows are you running?

The problem I am trying to solve is when the checkup automatically runs at the time I set for a weekly check the computer always freezes whgen it gets to the same point and has to be restarted as I said above with the bottom button on the tower.

I have Windows XP.

I don't really know what registries are and being well into pensioner age have trouble trying to keep up with things!

Whatever you click to run it, right click instead of left click. You get a context menu, one option being Run as Administrator. I don't really expect it to solve it, but it may, as the place it is failing is "your" own account.

XP so run as administrator present

If the only visible problem is the checker itself then I would suggest stopping to run that checker.

Registry is just a very long list of settings that software and the operating system can use to store information. Sometimes cleaners can clean things up too much, and in this case it is probably coming across something it has no idea what to do with and crashes.

XP is so old also that very likely AOL is not testing it much anymore on that operating system.

Registry cleaners are only really needed if you are someone who installs and deletes lots of software every week. These often when uninstalling leave orphaned bits of information, and the cleaner is removing this.

In reply to a post by UnionCastle:

The problem I am trying to solve is when the checkup automatically runs at the time I set for a weekly check the computer always freezes whgen it gets to the same point and has to be restarted as I said above with the bottom button on the tower.

I have Windows XP.

I don't really know what registries are and being well into pensioner age have trouble trying to keep up with things!

On your computer use SuperAntiSpyware, Malwarebytes and CCleaner that will sort it.

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/SuperAntiSpyware.html

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/malwarebytes.html

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/ccleaner.html

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

XP is so old also that very likely AOL is not testing it much anymore on that operating system.

AOL, as in AOL UK (not AOL BB) who produced that s/w, is so old that it probably is!

Many Registry errors found are often of the presence of filenames that no longer exist on the PC due to the software that produced them having been uninstalled or no longer needing them. These non-existent filenames cause no problem to the PC.

You don't sound the kind of guy who needs a Registry cleaner. Either stop AOL Computer Checkup running in your start-up or stop it doing its Registry cleaning pass.

Are you sure this software came from AOL? It wouldn't have come from your ISP, AOL BB, but it might have come from AOL UK.

http://computercheckup.aol.co.uk

Edited by deleted (Sat 10-Nov-12 14:28:00)

Yes that is what I have installed from AOL at £3.99 a month.
It found and cleaned a massive amount of stuff when first installed and it did speed things up a bit.
I will set it to ignore the 'current user' bit which causes all the trouble and see what happens.
I tried several times again today following some of the suggestions but had the same outcome.
Thanks for all your help and suggestions. I will try them again in the morning as I am off for a beer now!
Brian

From the info available on the web site, and from your experience , i wouldn't be paying each month for it, Seriously you are better off with separate software utils
not these jack of all trades and master of none (AIO) type of s/ware

I use both paid for and free, CCleaner ain't bad, that has a registry cleaner, just make sure that you save the entries it lists for deletion , at least then you can simply merge them back into the registry , should cleaning cause something to no longer run
I use PC tools registry mechanic (paid) cost as little as £10.00 per year, it can be set to create a restore point before it removes anything, it also creates a backup what it cleans too, so in the event something is removed in error it can be easily reversed

Yes, CCLeaner is free and trustworthy. Look for the 'slim' build to avoid a toolbar (either google or yahoo...I forget).

I've a list of 'vital software for a new build'. Vital to me that is.

After AV/firewall software and browser software, CCleaner is top of the list.

If it has any only stuff such as Google toolbar bundled with it, you just unselect to download/install it

Edited by tommy45 (Sat 10-Nov-12 22:32:38)

Try again, but don't link to a page where the download automatically starts

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Try again, but don't link to a page where the download automatically starts

Doesn't start downloading anything for me, but there again i have my security settings setup in such a way so it can't do, CCleaner Make sure you click on the piriform link, as i ain't sure if the download from filehippo has other junk ware with it

Edited by tommy45 (Sat 10-Nov-12 22:31:36)

Tried several times again this morning with various settings and as much turned off as possible but same results as before but as said above I will just leave things as they are.
Looked up CCleaner then got all sorts of warnings (http://softwareindustryreport.com/registry-cleaner-reports.php) about downloading more problems and to a novice like me frightened about messing everything up and getting in to real trouble.

My computer works more or less as I want it to so as the old saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!

I could always get a kid in to help me out if needed!

That link does not mention CCleaner!

Trust us, if CCleaner were dodgy, would the site folk let us all recommend it?

As a novice (your words), you're looking for advice on how to get a paid for program to work. Try the paid for program makers. Don't they provide support for £3.99 per month?

Suggest you bug the AOL software folk for a bit, but feel free to come and see us if willing to listen.

P.S. - If it's a simple case of being too wary of CCleaner, feel free to PM me on how to use it. It has lots of features, but it can be daunting for the complete new user.

I tried AOL and they refused to answer by email and told me to phone which I did and after being passed from one Indian to another I was eventually cut off. After the trird attempt I gave up!!!

I have now installed CCleaner and according to them there are No Issues for Registry!!!
I tried AOLCheckup again and on the Current User there is now 183 errors so I have at least lost one of them!!!
It froze again of course!

Edited by deleted (Sun 11-Nov-12 11:27:43)

In reply to a post by UnionCastle:

Tried several times again this morning with various settings and as much turned off as possible but same results as before but as said above I will just leave things as they are.
Looked up CCleaner then got all sorts of warnings (http://softwareindustryreport.com/registry-cleaner-reports.php) about downloading more problems and to a novice like me frightened about messing everything up and getting in to real trouble.

My computer works more or less as I want it to so as the old saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!

I could always get a kid in to help me out if needed!

Have a read of this report/review about the s/ware they are saying is the best something that i have never even heard of (a bit like AOL reg cleaners) Cnet regzooka and have you browsed to the web site, to download it from regzooka ?
i tried but my AV blocked me, reporting it has some kind of attack page, so be careful or better still avoid browsing to it,
As for any reg cleaner , always check what it lists as being wrong after it has scanned the system, if you don't know what something is ,try googling it's name , if all else fails then at least make sure that any changes that you are about to make before selecting fix /repair can be reversed

In reply to a post by UnionCastle:

My computer works more or less as I want it to so as the old saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!

But it is broke!!!!!

Is it? Or is the program finding errors?

My computer is regularly 'broke' as it find 'registry errors' most days. Unused file extensions for the most part.

If anything is 'broke' it is the reporting program imho, as it seems to be the thing causing the system to freeze.

Either way!